What to Expect

BC Cancer Breast Screening is committed to ensuring the safety of patients and health care providers during screening mammography appointments. We've introduced some new measures below to increase safety, and ask you to please follow these simple steps before, during and, after your appointment to ensure you are prepared and comfortable for your screening.

Please protect yourself and others by practicing physical distancing when waiting for your appointment. Remember to maintain two metres distance (6 feet) from others. Screening centres have arranged their waiting and changing areas to support physical distancing.

Your screening mammography technologist will need to come within two metres to help position you for your mammogram. They will be wearing PPE to protect you and others.

Your screening results will be sent to you and your health care provider within approximately 3 weeks.

How to prepare for your mammogram

Do not use deodorant, powder, creams or lotions on the day of the appointment. These products leave a residue that can make it difficult to read your mammogram.

Before the exam, you will be asked to undress from the waist up. If you wish, you could wear a shirt that buttons in the front to keep one side covered at a time during the exam. Please note that in addition to uncovering one breast, you will also need to take your arm out of the shirt so the technologist can position you properly for the mammogram. This will be repeated on the other side.

Try to schedule an appointment when your breasts are least sensitive (e.g. within 10 days of your last period). Some women also find it helpful to avoid caffeine several days before an exam.

We strive for a scent-free environment, so please do not wear perfume.

If you have a face mask (surgical or home-made), you are encouraged to wear it to your appointment.

What happens during a screening mammogram?

1Step One

A female technologist will ask to measure your height and weight before your mammogram which will be documented on your confidential history form as well as other questions pertaining to your breast health.

2Step Two

The technologist will then proceed to the mammogram examination where she will place your breast on a special x-ray machine. A plastic plate will be pressed slowly to compress your breast and hold it in place for a few seconds.

3Step Three

You will feel some pressure on your breast for a few seconds during the x-ray. Compression is necessary to spread the breast tissue and eliminate motion, which may blur the picture. This may be uncomfortable and usually lasts no more than 10 seconds. Let the technologist know if you experience pain as she will work with you to make your appointment more comfortable.

4Step Four

Four pictures are taken, two of each breast. The technologist will check the pictures to make sure they are good quality for the radiologist to read. If needed, the technologist may take additional pictures.

BC Cancer Breast Screening doesn't recommend the use of thyroid guards for screening mammograms because they can interfere with capturing a clear breast image. The guard can limit the technologist’s ability to place all of the breast tissue on the compression plate. As a result some breast tissue may be missed or more x-rays may need to be taken.

Also, the screening mammography x-ray directs the radiation beam towards the breast tissue, so the thyroid isn't directly exposed to the radiation beam. The thyroid can be exposed to "background scatter radiation”, which is the same amount of radiation a North American would be exposed to from 30 minutes of natural background radiation.

‎Body Mass Index (height and weight) has been recognized as a risk factor for breast cancer. BC Cancer Breast Screening has begun to collect this information to assist in assessing an individual’s breast cancer risk so that it may guide screening accordingly.

How does this affect your appointment?

The technologist will ask if she may measure your height and weight before your mammogram which will be documented on your confidential history form.

How long will this take?

It shouldn’t take more than a minute for the technologist to measure your height and weight.

Is this a required part of the screening mammogram?

We respect that agreeing to height and weight measurement is an individual decision, just as breast screening is, and it is in no way conditional to you having a screening mammogram. Please remember that all data that the screening program collects is completely confidential.